Chapter Two: The Grey Pilgrim
"Are you in much of hurry?" she asked.
"I will rest for a while. Why?" he asked.
"Perhaps we could talk. If you hungry I have some dried fruits and meat. And water if you thirst."
"That is very kind of you. I would like to know more about you and this Yellowstone."
The pair sat down and ate a bit of fruit and drank as they conversed.
"You said you feel you are not near home. May I ask why that is so?"
It'd probably be best if I started with the story beforehand for it to be understood."
"Please, go on."
"I had run off to the woods near my aunts to get away from my mother. I wasn't ready to leave yet. I was headed off to this talan I'd built with an old friend of mine. There was a bad storm coming in so I figured I would stay there until it had blown on through." He acknowledged that would be a wise choice and pulled another apple chip from the container he'd toyed with earlier. "I ended up falling asleep but woke sometime later by this loud noise. I heard thunder and then there was this bright flash. I couldn't see. All I could feel was pain everywhere. Then things went dark and there was wood creaking and then water. So much more then there should have been. Then as soon as it started...everything stopped." she paused as if recontemplating the situation.
"How so?"
"I'm not really sure. It's like nothing even existed. There was no pain, no light, no dark, no water...nothing. Then I seemed to fall. After that I wake with one nightmarish headache back in those marshes. Of which I am sure I'm carrying the smell with me. " Both laughed at the last statement.
"You do not smell as foul as you may think." He could tell there was more behind what she had told hi, though she did not seem to realize it herself. So there was more amiss in Middle Earth then the One Ring being found again.
"You wouldn't be lying just to make me feel better would you?"
"On my honor." He smiled, putting hi hand up in a way similar to a boy scout.
"So tell me about this place. Are there any cities around?"
"You are closest to the town of Bree. I had just come from there. I am on my way to seek council with the head of my order about a rather urgent matte." he said simply.
Her eyes widened. "I am very sorry for keeping you here with idle chatter. You should have spoken earlier."
"I think speaking with you has been just as important. May I ask where you intend to go?"
Ayanna only shrugged. In truth she didn't know. She wasn't sure how she came to be in the place she was in. Maybe the storm had had something to do with it. She'd read about people going to other places when storms rampaged or the northern lights where more active then usual. But those were just that, stories. Maybe she was dreaming it all. But then again maybe not. Hey gut told her this was the real McCoy. Then there was the sensible nagging thought that said this was all made up. For all she knew, the man before her could be someone who liked to pretend to be someone else. Something that couldn't exist otherwise. But then again, how did she get to wherever she was? More importantly...why?
The older man leaned a little closer to her. "I would like to speak with you further on this matter. But, I'm afraid time is against me. You a four days hard walk from Bree if you walk hard through nightfall. Would you be willing to meet a friend of mine till I can speak with you again?"
"I don't see why not. So long as I won't be imposing upon them."
Gandalf smiled. "I had hoped you would say that." He dipped into his pocket and pulled out a smooth oval piece of clay with a strange symbol on one side. "Go to the Inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree. Seek a man named Strider and give this to him so he will know I sent you. He is there on a task for me as well. Tell him I would like for you to travel with him till I can speak with you again. Did you follow all that?"
"Bree, four days hard walk, Prancing Pony Inn, Strider, give signet and tell purpose. Got it."
"Wonderful." He handed the stone to her and she slid it into the front pouch of her knife sheath.
"What if he's not there?" she questioned as she tided up her bag with the bowls of food. They had not eating much and she still had enough for a couple weeks if she rationed right.
He will be there a day before you I imaging. I trust you can fend for yourself if you run around all on your own?"
"I can fend for myself well enough."
"Straight as the crow flies will bring you to Bree by sunset four days from now." He said walking to his horse and putting his staff where it had been before. Ayanna followed and held the stirrup for him as he mounted. "Leaving you on your own is against my better judgment. Unfortunately, I cannot accompany you. "
Ayanna combed the mare's forelock with a smile and patted down her neck. "Don't think on it. I get told I play too roughly with the other children all the time. Two more questions and I'll head on my way."
He picked up the reins and watched as his mare nuzzled her arm affectionately. "Yes."
"Bree is straight in the direction you came from?"
"It is." He nodded curtly.
"This Strider friend of yours is honorable?"
"One of the most honorable men I know. He will not try to take advantage of you, if that is what you fear." He replied with a smirk.
"He wouldn't live long enough do that. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't have to slap him around for being a letch." She replied in all sincerity.
"You'll be just fine." He gave her a wink and nodded his leave.
From there they turned and headed off their own separate ways.
"Are you in much of hurry?" she asked.
"I will rest for a while. Why?" he asked.
"Perhaps we could talk. If you hungry I have some dried fruits and meat. And water if you thirst."
"That is very kind of you. I would like to know more about you and this Yellowstone."
The pair sat down and ate a bit of fruit and drank as they conversed.
"You said you feel you are not near home. May I ask why that is so?"
It'd probably be best if I started with the story beforehand for it to be understood."
"Please, go on."
"I had run off to the woods near my aunts to get away from my mother. I wasn't ready to leave yet. I was headed off to this talan I'd built with an old friend of mine. There was a bad storm coming in so I figured I would stay there until it had blown on through." He acknowledged that would be a wise choice and pulled another apple chip from the container he'd toyed with earlier. "I ended up falling asleep but woke sometime later by this loud noise. I heard thunder and then there was this bright flash. I couldn't see. All I could feel was pain everywhere. Then things went dark and there was wood creaking and then water. So much more then there should have been. Then as soon as it started...everything stopped." she paused as if recontemplating the situation.
"How so?"
"I'm not really sure. It's like nothing even existed. There was no pain, no light, no dark, no water...nothing. Then I seemed to fall. After that I wake with one nightmarish headache back in those marshes. Of which I am sure I'm carrying the smell with me. " Both laughed at the last statement.
"You do not smell as foul as you may think." He could tell there was more behind what she had told hi, though she did not seem to realize it herself. So there was more amiss in Middle Earth then the One Ring being found again.
"You wouldn't be lying just to make me feel better would you?"
"On my honor." He smiled, putting hi hand up in a way similar to a boy scout.
"So tell me about this place. Are there any cities around?"
"You are closest to the town of Bree. I had just come from there. I am on my way to seek council with the head of my order about a rather urgent matte." he said simply.
Her eyes widened. "I am very sorry for keeping you here with idle chatter. You should have spoken earlier."
"I think speaking with you has been just as important. May I ask where you intend to go?"
Ayanna only shrugged. In truth she didn't know. She wasn't sure how she came to be in the place she was in. Maybe the storm had had something to do with it. She'd read about people going to other places when storms rampaged or the northern lights where more active then usual. But those were just that, stories. Maybe she was dreaming it all. But then again maybe not. Hey gut told her this was the real McCoy. Then there was the sensible nagging thought that said this was all made up. For all she knew, the man before her could be someone who liked to pretend to be someone else. Something that couldn't exist otherwise. But then again, how did she get to wherever she was? More importantly...why?
The older man leaned a little closer to her. "I would like to speak with you further on this matter. But, I'm afraid time is against me. You a four days hard walk from Bree if you walk hard through nightfall. Would you be willing to meet a friend of mine till I can speak with you again?"
"I don't see why not. So long as I won't be imposing upon them."
Gandalf smiled. "I had hoped you would say that." He dipped into his pocket and pulled out a smooth oval piece of clay with a strange symbol on one side. "Go to the Inn of the Prancing Pony in Bree. Seek a man named Strider and give this to him so he will know I sent you. He is there on a task for me as well. Tell him I would like for you to travel with him till I can speak with you again. Did you follow all that?"
"Bree, four days hard walk, Prancing Pony Inn, Strider, give signet and tell purpose. Got it."
"Wonderful." He handed the stone to her and she slid it into the front pouch of her knife sheath.
"What if he's not there?" she questioned as she tided up her bag with the bowls of food. They had not eating much and she still had enough for a couple weeks if she rationed right.
He will be there a day before you I imaging. I trust you can fend for yourself if you run around all on your own?"
"I can fend for myself well enough."
"Straight as the crow flies will bring you to Bree by sunset four days from now." He said walking to his horse and putting his staff where it had been before. Ayanna followed and held the stirrup for him as he mounted. "Leaving you on your own is against my better judgment. Unfortunately, I cannot accompany you. "
Ayanna combed the mare's forelock with a smile and patted down her neck. "Don't think on it. I get told I play too roughly with the other children all the time. Two more questions and I'll head on my way."
He picked up the reins and watched as his mare nuzzled her arm affectionately. "Yes."
"Bree is straight in the direction you came from?"
"It is." He nodded curtly.
"This Strider friend of yours is honorable?"
"One of the most honorable men I know. He will not try to take advantage of you, if that is what you fear." He replied with a smirk.
"He wouldn't live long enough do that. I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't have to slap him around for being a letch." She replied in all sincerity.
"You'll be just fine." He gave her a wink and nodded his leave.
From there they turned and headed off their own separate ways.